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Preparing Your Resume For an Economic Recovery

Sooner or later, the job market really will come back. But will Dan Bastecki be ready when it does?

By KEMBA DUNHAM
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Mr. Bastecki, 54 years old, has been out of work for 18 months. The Simi Valley, Calif., resident was earning a salary in the mid-six figures as director of engineering for a high-tech company until the company shut the West Coast operations he was running.

Since then, he says, he has responded to several hundred job ads, but had absolutely no response, not even for an entry-level position. "I have since resigned myself to being a house husband," he says, adding that he looks for work only "passively."

For many job seekers, it’s hard not to share Mr. Bastecki’s discouragement. Nearly two years after economic recovery officially began, the economy is still shedding jobs. Job searches are taking longer than they have in 20 years.

Yet some career coaches and close watchers of the job market believe the end is in sight. Though no one expects a return of the robust job market of the late 1990s any time soon, the economy performed strongly in the second quarter, and most economists are forecasting an improvement heading into 2004. Layoffs have slowed in recent weeks. Companies are investing more in their own operations again, usually an indicator that hiring, which tends to lag in a recovery, could be coming in the not-too-distant future.

Now that Labor Day is past, it’s time to reinvigorate your job search and prepare for things to pick up at least somewhat. Here are some things to keep in mind:

First, focus your search on a fairly narrow area, specialty and range of companies. At the height of the downturn, many people, used to the insatiable hunger for talent that characterized the 1990s, sent out too many resumes aimlessly. That rarely works. It’s a better use of your time, and likely to be far more effective, to concentrate on those areas where your strengths and experience give you an edge, and those jobs and companies that are likely to need more workers in an upturn.

"When things are more open and more fluid, you have more of a choice," says Lauren Mackler, a corporate consultant and personal coach in Newton, Mass. "But now you have time to identify what is your personal passion, what kind of contribution you want to make and the kind of job functions and roles that are a good fit."

Once you’ve identified what you want to pursue, make sure your resume is updated. Identify 15 or so of the companies in that industry you’ve targeted and start tracking them so you’re up to date on what’s happening on the inside. Check out professional organizations within that industry.

Targeted networking is also key. Some coaches say that should be your main focus at this point, instead of wasting time endlessly searching online job boards and career sites that yield few results. "Going on the Internet is easy, so that’s all many people want to do," says Louise Kursmark, a resume writer and career coach in Cincinnati. "Making phone calls and setting up meetings is tough, but that’s what really pays off."

Be smart about whom you network with, though. Influential line managers and human-resource executives are good sources because companies will need executives to help build their businesses since many already have cut costs. Reach out to recruiters you’ve previously connected with and remind them of your skills and capabilities.

It’s paying off for Bob Richard, a 56-year-old career-management consultant from Midway, Mass., who has been out of work only for one month. He has been meeting with lots of people, he says, who have been willing to talk about positions that are opening up. "Before, few people were willing to meet with you because they were being inundated with requests from networkers, so I’m feeling encouraged," he says.

Treat every meeting like an interview, and be mindful of all the common-sense steps you take in such a situation. That includes learning beforehand what the hiring manager is looking for and how your own skills fit. "Hiring managers are using things like behavioral questions and other sophisticated interviewing techniques, so you should be aware of them," says David Schmier, president of Gethired.com, a New York job-finding training company. "It’s a whole new game now."

Finally, remember to be realistic. The 1990s were a great time for job seekers, but they’re a fading memory. Things will get better, but you might still need to make compromises to get back in the game.

Write to Kemba Dunham at [email protected]

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